Valve and metering device for gas-fueled lighters



United States Patent O 3,495,414 VALVE AND METERING DEVICE FORGAS-FUELED LIGHTERS Frederick A. Fassbender, Essex Fells, N.J., assignorto S. M. Frank & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled May 16, 1968, Ser. No. 729,729 Int. Cl. F17c 7/02; F23d 13/04 US.CI. 62-50 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve mechanism andmetering device for gas-fueled lighters comprising a valve stem whichcan be operated to permit the flow of gaseous fuel to a burner nozzlewhere it is ignited into a flame by a conventional spark Wheel toproduce a flame the size of which can be regulated by an adjustmentscrew carried by the fuel casing or container and which metering devicecan be replaced when it becomes defective by retracting the valveadjustment screw from the fuel container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In conventional gas lighters of this type acontact lever, which is pivotally mounted on the fuel container orcasing, engages a valve stem. The valve is opened by depressing thelever against spring bias to permit the gaseous fuel to flow to theburner nozzle where it is ignited into flame by a spark created by theconventional spark wheel. The flame is extinguished simply by releasingthe pressure on the lever, which closes the valve and thus cuts off thefuel supply. The fuel normally used is commercial butane which iscontained in the fuel tank or receptacle under such pressure that it ismaintained in liquid form. This liquid type of fuel has a tendency toescape through very minute openings and therefore an effective sealmeans must be provided between the moving parts of the valve arrangementto prevent leakage of gas into the atmosphere, the ignition of whichmight cause serious injury to the operator.

For the purpose of regulating the amount of fuel to the burner nozzle, aregulating or adjusting screw engages a threaded retainer sleeve in thelighter casing or fuel container. This adjustment screw is caused topress against a wick of compressible material, usually composed of fibercloth. By tightening or loosening the adjusting screw, the wicking iscompressed and expanded respectively and thus the amount of fuel to thenozzle is regulated to thereby produce a flame of the desired size. Thisadjustable valve is generally called a metering valve.

The metering valve is the major source of malfunction in the valveassembly. Due to the repeated compression and expansion of the wickmember it becomes lazy and may even become permanently deformed and thusrender the valve useless and might even cause possible injury to theuser of the lighter. The wick may also become compacted by butaneimpurities or foreign material, causing interruption of the flow of fueland thus will cause malfunctioning.

Gas-fueled lighters equipped with the conventional valve and meteringassembly, therefore, often have to be returned to the manufacturer forvalve replacement as the defective metering device was not accessiblewithout taking the lighter apart. In many cases the lighter wasabandoned due to the necessity of frequent repairs.

The problem has become so great that many manufacturers, rather thanassume the obligation of repair of the metering assembly, have put onthe market a so-called disposable lighter. This disposable lighter has apredetermined amount of liquid fuel sealed in the lighter 3,495,414Patented Feb. 17, 1970 casing and when the fuel is exhausted, thelighter is discarded. Obviously, because of the intended disposablecharacter of such lighters, quality must be sacrificed for economy.

A fundamental object of the present invention therefore is to provide aseparate metering device which can easily be removed when it becomesdefective, and which can be replaced with a new one by the user withoutthe necessity of returning the lighter for repair by experiencedworkmen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention a novelmetering assembly is provided which operates effectively to meter theflow of the fuel, as well as to permit the flow or the shut-01f of thegas. The valve assembly is actuated by a lever having a yoke whichengages the valve-stem part of the assembly, causing the same to beraised or lowered. Lifting 0f the valve stem permits the flow of gas andthe turning of an adjustment screw determines the volume of gaspermitted to flow and the resulting flame height.

The metering device comprises a cylinder-like construction having asmall orifice through which the gas enters from the fuel container. Theinterior of the cylindershaped metering device retains the compressiblewicking material such as rubber and fiber disks. The degree ofcompression of these disks regulates the flow of gaseous fuel into thehollow valve stem and to the nozzle provided thereon. The meteringdevice is removably seated over a reduced-diameter portion of anadjustment screw which threadably engages a retainer sleeve in the fuelcontainer or lighter casing.

The orifice or inlet port in the metering device normally is above thelevel of the liquified gas so that only gaseous fuel will be admittedand brought into contact with the wicking material. Thus, when thelighter or fuel container is held in upright position, a steady flame,the height of which is regulated by the compression of the wickingmaterial, will emerge from the nozzle. On the other hand, if the lighteror fuel container is tilted or inverted so that fuel in liquid form ispermitted to flow through the orifice or inlet port, the wickingmaterial will become saturated with liquid fuel and the flame willimmediately become intensified. In the tilted or inverted position thelighter becomes particularly suitable as a pipe lighter, whereas in theupright position it is primarily serviceable as a cigarette or cigarlighter.

If the metering assembly should become defective for the reasonsexplained herein, the valve adjustment screw is unscrewed from theretaining sleeve and retracted from the fuel container or lightercausing, the metering ring or cylinder with its damaged or inoperablewicking material is simply lifted off the reduced end of the adjustmentscrew and a new metering cylinder carrying wicking is pushed over thepin portion of the adjustment screw.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the improved valve and metering device,with a portion thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the same, and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, with a portionthereof fragmentarily shown."

The device is adapted for mounting in any one of a number of lighters ofthe butane type. It includes a cylindrical mounting or retainer sleeve Imounted in a wall 35 and disposed within the lighter casing and having amounting flange 2, the same extending around the bore 3 of the sleeve.The sleeve 1 is internally threaded at 4 for the threadable reception ofthreads 5 provided on an adjustment screw 6 which is thus axiallyadjustable through the sleeve 1. The adjustment screw 6 carries an Oring 7 which seals the sleeve 1 against leakage of the lighter fuel,while permitting the axial adjustment of the adjustment screw 6 throughit.

The adjustment screw 6 is provided at its rear end with a knurled disk 8disposed externally of the lighter casing to enable the screw 6 to bemanually and axially adjusted through the sleeve 1 to meter the lighterfuel. At its opposite end, the screw 6 is formed with a reduceddiameterportion or stem 9 that is adapted to compress one or more layers 10 ofpacking or wicking which may be composed of rubber, fiber or othersuitable compressible and absorbent material. The wicking is fitted inthe end of a bushing or cylinder indicated at 11.

The bushing or cylinder 11 fits around the stem 9 of the adjustmentscrew as shown in FIG. 3 and the wicking 10 is in abutment against atubular stem 12 formed on one end of a cylindrical valve body 13. Saidstem 12 has an axial passage 31 which has one end communicating with thewicking 10 and its opposite end is in communication with a chamber 14located within the valve body 13. The valve body is formed with externalscrew threads 30 by means of which it can be mounted in a wall 36 of thelighter casing. A non-round head 16 is provided on the valve body tofacilitate the threading of it into the lighter casing wall 36. A valveseat 15 is provided in the chamber 14 at one end of the passage 31.

Mounted for axial slidable movement within the valve body 13 is a valve17 which is closed at one end by a packing 18 that rests against theseat 15 and closes the passage 31 when the valve stem is in a loweredposition. The raising and lowering of the valve 17 is effected by meansof a spring-biased lever shown in dotted lines at 19 in FIG. 3. Thislever, while indicated in a neutral position in FIG. 3 is normallyspring-biased into a lowered valve-closing position wherein the valvepacking 18 is urged against the seat 15 to thereby close ofl the passage31.

The lever 19, which may be one normally employed on this type oflighter, has a clevissed or bifurcated end 20 which fits around thevalve 17 between a pair of spaced annular flanges 27 and 28 providedthereon. The valve 17 terminates at one end, disposed externally of thelighter body, in a nozzle 21, and extending longitudinally through thevalve is a passage 22 closed at its inner end by the packing 18.Adjacent to the packing is an orifice 29 establishing communicationbetween the interior of the chamber 14 and the axial passage 22 throughthe valve. An ring 23 encircles the valve and prevents lighter fuelleakage between the stem of the valve and the chamber 13.

An orifice or inlet port 24 is provided in the wall of the sleeve 11 asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to provide communication between the fuelcontainer or lighter casing.

It should be noted that the orifice or inlet port 24 normally is abovethe level of the liquid fuel in the container or lighter casing when thelatter is in upright position. Thus, in the latter position only gaseousfuel will be admitted through the port 24 and contact and saturate thewicking 10. On the other hand, when the lighter casing or fuel containeris tilted or inverted, the liquid fuel will flow through the orifice 24and soak the wick material resulting in an intensified jet flame, thusmaking the lighter particularly serviceable as a pipe lighter.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device will be readilyunderstood. The function of the device is to meter, as well as topermit, either the flow of the fuel out of the nozzle 21 or to shut offthe flow. The fuel within the lighter casing, being under pressure, willenter through the orifice 24 and saturate the wicking 10. The wicking iscompressed to the desired extent by the pressure of the stem portion 9of the adjustment screw 6 urging the wicking toward the stem 21, and thefuel is forced through the passage 31 where, if the valve 17 is in itsraised position as in FIG. 3, will permit the fuel to flow into the chmber 14 and through the orifice 29 to reach the passage 22 in the valveand flow therethrough to reach the nozzle 21 and be ignited at theoutlet end of said passage at the tip of the nozzle. If the valve 17 isin a lowered position, which is the normal position of the same underthe spring bias of the lever 19, the packing 18 will rest against thevalve seat 15 and will close oil? the fuel flow and no fuel will reachthe point of combustion at the tip of the nozzle.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the meteringassembly can readily be replaced when it becomes defective by merelyretracting the valve adjustment screw 6 and withdrawing it with thecylinder or bushing '11 on the stem 9. The valve housing and the valvecan also be readily removed by unthreading of the threads 30. Thereplacement is thus easily made, making the lighter again operative. Bythe adjustment of the screw 6 the extent of compression of the wickingis regulated and the flow of lighting fuel is thus controlled to securean even flame of predetermined height. In addition, an intensified flamejet will be produced by inverting or tilting the lighter or fuelcontainer.

Having thus described an embodiment of the invention, it is obvious thatthe same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to coverall structures coming within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A valve mechanism and metering device for gasfueled lighters having acontainer for fuel in liquid form comprising; a valve housing having apassage extending through it, a valve for opening and closing thepassage, a sleeve fixedly mounted in the container and having interinalthreads, an adjusting screw extending axially through the sleeve, thescrew having a reduced-diameter stem portion disposed beyond the sleeve,a bushing fitted around said stem portion, said bushing having wickingmounted within it and against which one end of the stern portion isoperative to compress the wicking, the bushing having an aperture in itswall to establish communication between the wicking and the interior ofthe container, the valve housing having a hollow stem projecting towardthe wicking so that by rotati've movement of the screw the wicking willbe clampingly and adjustably held between the stem portion of the screwand the stem on the valve housing.

2. A valve mechanism and metering device according to claim 1, whereinthe screw carries a sealing ring operative against the inner wallsurface of the sleeve, the valve housing including a chamber providedwith a valve seat at one end of the hollow stem on the valve housing,the valve having a central passage closed at one end by a packing thatseats upon the valve seat upon descent of the valve, a sealing ringarranged around the valve at a distance above the packing and the valvehaving an aperture in its wall at a point between the said sealing ringand the packing to thereby establish communication between the chamberand the interior of the container.

3. In a metering device and valve mechanism for lighters, a lightercasing, a tubular element having a compressible wicking contained in oneend of it, a valve housing threadably mounted in a wall of the casingand having a lower hollow stem portion against which one face of thewicking abuts, a sleeve fixedly mounted on an opposite wall of thecasing, an adjusting screw threadably mounted in the sleeve and havingan upper end projecting above the sleeve, said adjusting screw having anupper end portion extending through the wick-carrying tubular element toreach and contact with the wicking, the tubular element being free ofattachment to the adjusting screw, the screw being withdrawable out ofthe casing by being unthreaded from the sleeve, with the tubular elementand its contained wicking being carried on the end of the screw andbeing thus removed along with the screw as the screw is removed and isdrawn away from the casing.

4. A valve mechanism and metering device for lighters comprising, alighter casing containing a guide sleeve fixedly attached to a wall ofthe casing, an adjusting screw threadable axially through the sleeve,said screw having sealing means arranged between it and the wall of thesleeve, a valve housing fitted in an opposite wall of the casing, aremovable cylinder fitted over one end of the screw and arranged betweenthe screw and the valve housing, the cylinder containing a wickingwithin it at one end, the cylinder having an orifice establishingcommunication between the wicking and the interior of the casing, 1

the valve housing having a lower extension disposed axially in relationto the screw, and the wicking being arranged for the imposition ofclamping force between the valve housing and an end of the adjustingscrew.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 LLOYD L. KING, Primary ExaminerU.S. C1. X.R. 431344

